The public policies implemented in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the community have created issues both in the internal and the external environments of the Greek rural healthcare enterprises. This study aimed to investigate the full extent of the issues (internal and external) caused by the public policies. Regarding the external factors, we examined the state, the local authorities, the financial institutions, the social stakeholders and the citizens. Regarding the internal factors, we focused on turnover, liquidity, working conditions, internal changes related to patient care and the implementation of protective measures. A qualitative research was conducted among twelve rural healthcare business owners in the form of semi-structured interviews. The research was conducted in the fall of 2020 during the second phase of COVID-19. The research showed that these enterprises were severely impacted by the government’s public policies. Local authorities were not involved due to lack of competence. The business owners were unwilling to support their enterprises via bank lending. During the first phase of COVID-19, citizens postponed nonessential medical examinations, causing a reduction in these enterprises’ turnover. As a result, in the following periods, these enterprises faced liquidity problems. However, they developed social objectives and implemented protective measures for their employees and patients. The present study contributes to the mapping of the factors affecting the internal and external environments of rural healthcare enterprises along with the public policies developed in times of prolonged crisis. These kinds of data are crucial to the business world and government officials voting on social policies. One cannot rule out the possibility of a new financial or health crisis; the findings of this study can prove to be a useful tool in the process of decision making.

中文翻译：

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COVID-19漩涡中的农村医疗保健企业：公共政策对内外环境的影响

为了遏制COVID-19在社区传播实施的公共政策创造内部和希腊农村医疗企业外部环境问题两者。本研究旨在探讨造成的公共政策问题（内部和外部）的全部范围。对于外部因素的影响，我们研究了国家，地方政府，金融机构，社会利益相关者和公民。在内部因素方面，我们重点关注营业额、流动性、工作条件、与患者护理相关的内部变化以及保护措施的实施。定性研究是其中12个农村医疗企业主在半结构化面试的形式进行。该研究期间COVID-19的第二阶段中的2020秋季进行。研究表明，这些企业受到政府公共政策的严重影响。由于缺乏能力，地方当局没有参与。企业主不愿意通过银行贷款支持他们的企业。在 COVID-19 的第一阶段，公民推迟了非必要的体检，导致这些企业的营业额减少。因此，在接下来的时期，这些企业都面临流动性问题。但是，他们制定了社会目标，并为员工和患者实施了保护措施。本研究有助于绘制影响农村医疗保健企业内外环境的因素以及长期危机时期制定的公共政策。这些类型的数据对于商界和政府官员就社会政策进行投票至关重要。不能排除出现新的金融或健康危机的可能性；这项研究的结果可以证明是决策过程中的有用工具。